Ball and socket connections, employing spherically-shaped self-aligning bearings, are commonly employed for pivotally mounting the ends of a hydraulic cylinder on an earthworking vehicle. Such vehicles are exposed to adverse environments which tend to wear the bearings excessively. The bearings are oftentimes "permanently" lubricated and sealed to aid in increasing the life expectancy thereof.
For example, various bearing materials such as oil-impregnated sintered metal and Teflon-coated phenolics may be employed in such bearing applications. Such materials are normally incapable of withstanding the high loads imposed thereon when used in heavy-duty earthworking applications. In addition, conventional ball and socket connections are generally difficult to assemble and disassemble for repair purposes. Examples of such connections are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,308,613; 2,711,352; 3,347,577; 3,506,315; 3,554,588; 3,588,201; and 3,680,924.